I first read about Dreager & Bluming when I was a kid. It was one of the things that influenced me to study gendai and koryu in Japan. Jon Bluming is correct though, the standards have dropped considerably since the old days, it's harder and harder to find teachers who can teach "Shinken Shobu" budo. There are a few, but not as many as there used to be.

At one point, it is said "Preliminary trainings in judo are arranged in eight grades [kyu]. There are few exceptional cases in which a beginner may successfully climb up the eight within one year. After passing the first grade, only then can he be said to have begun to understand something of the art of judo. He then joins a class of beginners called shodan. It is a far cry from this stage of his attainment to the mastery of judo. It is the beginning of serious work; in the shodan stage a man usually learns the price which one must pay to become the master of his body."

At one point, it is said "Preliminary trainings in judo are arranged in eight grades [kyu]. There are few exceptional cases in which a beginner may successfully climb up the eight within one year. After passing the first grade, only then can he be said to have begun to understand something of the art of judo. He then joins a class of beginners called shodan. It is a far cry from this stage of his attainment to the mastery of judo. It is the beginning of serious work; in the shodan stage a man usually learns the price which one must pay to become the master of his body."

Some people are just dedicated. Some people are natural.

I met HoratioHooah in Hawaii (through Bullshido TD efforts) and last time we worked out he'd been awarded Brown in Judo after nine months, from Olympian Kevin Asano. He said that there was some feelings in the Dojo, but WTF, when you're good, you're good.

"Preparing mentally, the most important thing is, if you aren't doing it for the love of it, then don't do it." - Benny Urquidez